Something clattered at the entrance to the shed. My body froze as a board scraped against the threshold. I willed myself not to whimper, to face my future with quiet dignity and as few hysterics as I could manage.

The door creaked on its hinges, driving my blood pressure up to dangerous new heights. Light flared at the corners of my vision. My teeth clenched as I squared my jaw and I faced the door as my heart careened inside my chest, banging my ribs and making my breath painfully stuttered.